Bank Leumi Launches First-Ever Russian Language Banking App in Israel

Bank Leumi announced on Thursday, September 3rd, that it will become the first bank in Israel to offer its mobile application in Russian. The new language version will be rolled out alongside existing Hebrew and English interfaces, with Arabic and French also planned, making it the first Israeli banking app available in five languages. The phased rollout will occur over the coming week.

Once users select their preferred language, Russian-speaking customers will be able to access full account information and perform a wide range of operations, including viewing account balances, ordering credit cards and checkbooks, making real-time transfers (Zahav), exchanging currency, opening deposits, and applying for loans. Future updates will introduce additional services in the various languages.

The bank highlighted that its current app already offers nearly 100% of common banking services, including features like ordering Zoom consultations with bank staff and fully digital mortgage applications, areas where Leumi was a pioneer in Israel.

This multilingual app launch is part of Bank Leumi's broader efforts to enhance customer service, which have included extending call center hours to 24/6, a commitment to responding to all customer inquiries within one business day, and establishing a rapid response unit reporting directly to the CEO for unresolved issues.

Eyal Efrat, head of Bank Leumi's banking services division, stated that the bank aims to provide advanced, accessible, and tailored services. He emphasized that the Russian language version is a significant step toward making banking services more accessible and adapted to the needs of hundreds of thousands of Russian-speaking clients in Israel, ensuring they can manage their finances in a language they are comfortable with.